This year, Techstars Seattle is expanding its focus. Traditionally, we have been focused on software companies, because of their nature - they scale easily. However, similar to the companies we accept into our accelerator, we also have to adjust our focus according to what is happening in the market. One of the most exciting market trends is, in my opinion, the Internet of Things (IoT). Decreasing costs of hardware components is making it possible to connect virtually anything to the internet or a smart device. This opens up for countless opportunities to bring new exciting products to market. NEST, which was recently acquired by Google, is a great example of an IoT-company. Their focus is just one of many opportunities to make our homes, businesses, and "dumb" devices smarter.

For this reason, Techstars Seattle is accepting IoT-focused hardware companies to the 2014 program. Are you working on an exciting startup in this space? - Apply to Techstars Seattle before the final deadline on May 4th. You can apply here.